About the Judges

Judge James A. Fields & Judge David L. Landefeld

Judge James A. Fields

Judge Fields has been Fairfield County Municipal Court Judge since April 30, 2015.

He obtained a Bachelor of Arts in American Studies in 1985 from Earlham College, in Richmond, Indiana, and obtained his Juris Doctorate in 1988 from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio. He was admitted to practice by the Supreme Court of Ohio in 1988, the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio in 1989, and the United States Supreme Court in 2006. He is a member of the Fairfield County Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association, and the Ohio State Bar Association. He is a past board member of various organizations in Fairfield County. He has been a speaker for the Ohio State Bar Association, "Juvenile Competency", and for 3 years was involved in the Ohio Supreme Court Lawyer-to-Lawyer Mentoring Program.

Judge Fields is a 14-year participant in girls athletic coaching, including Varsity and JV basketball, AAU Basketball and select soccer.

Judge David L. Landefeld

Judge David L. Landefeld was born in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Kenyon College in 1973 with his A.B. in Economics, Phi Beta Kappa. Judge Landefeld was a National Merit Scholar graduating Magna Cum Laude. He later received his Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University, Moritz College of Law in 1976.

Judge Landefeld was in the Fairfield County Prosecuting Attorney's Office from December, 1980 through April, 2011, and was the elected Prosecuting Attorney from January, 1983, through April, 2011. While he was the Prosecuting Attorney, he served as President of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association in 1996 and received Outstanding Prosecuting Attorney of the Year in 2005. In addition, he served on the Board of Directors of the National District Attorneys Association from 1996-2011, serving as both Assistant Secretary and Secretary from 2003-2008.

Judge Landefeld joined Crabbe, Brown & James, LLP as an Of Counsel attorney upon his retirement from the Prosecutor's office in 2011. He concentrated his practice in the areas of government relations, pipeline easements, general litigation, and legislative affairs. He left the law firm when it closed its Lancaster office on July 1, 2015.

Judge Landefeld was elected to the six-year term beginning January 1, 2016. However, after Judge Patrick Harris resigned on November 2, 2015, Governor John Kasich appointed Judge Landefeld on November 17 to serve the remainder of the term vacated by Judge Harris.

Judge Landefeld is a member of the Florida State Bar, Fairfield County Bar and Ohio State Bar Associations, and the Lancaster Kiwanis Club. He has served on a number of boards locally, and has taught courses related to trial tactics and business law.